What are your Pre-cycle ideas, missions, crafts or questions - what do you do to precycle?

Created by: Lucy :: 3 years ago

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Vote: +0

"Welcome to all our new members! I'm so pleased to see more people being aware of pre-cycling. I'd love to hear what other people do to pre-cycle and if the pre-cycle concept has changed the way you think about things....So, What do you do to pre-cycle?"

By: Cooltivator :: 3 years ago

Vote: +0

"I think something has to be done about the amount of packaging beauty sellers such Lancome, Dior, Chanel wrap the scents, glosses, mascara's in. Why does my Mascara need to come in a box? Or my lipgloss for that matter? I love all things Lancome Hypnose but I feel ashamed buying their products because of the amount of unnecessary wrapping. I think I shall write a letter to complain!"

By: My Green Cleaner :: 3 years ago

Vote: +0

"I'm a horticulturalist - there is nothing that cannot be put to use or recycled within an area of land somehow, I believe, if necessary. If it can be stored in or used by biomass somehow, it can have beneficial use from there.

You are welcome to test me out on this statement with challenges you are aware of. I would then make suggestions which you can weigh up on their own merits.

To specifically answer Cooltivator's question as well - growing one's own herbs and vegetables (and hens and things) largely prevents buying 'fresh' produce that is not wholly consumed in the household. How many of us have refrigerators from which perishables are thrown out because they are no longer fresh enough?

By the way, if your milk goes 'off' one day, let it sit somewhere warm, where it will turn naturally into curds and whey. Drain off the whey to make a cake/scones. Eat the soft cheese. Is this pre-cycling, re-cycling, or somewhere between the two? Does it matter?"

By: Brian Balloo :: 3 years ago

Vote: +0

"Great Question!

My thoughts are in "DESIGN" and through the power of INTENTION. As we have recently observed...the people do have power...ie..bringing a close to US Auto giants...They were not responding to our desires for sustainable designs...but CHOOSE to make old things that are not worthy of our support.

I believe in "Future by DESIGN".

Canadian Leon."

By: CanadianLeon :: 3 years ago

Vote: +0

"Thanks for your comments
@ Brian Baloo: I'd not thought of growing herbs as a pre-cycle idea, but presented the way you have it makes perfect sense. I have always poo-pooed the idea of growing my own fruit and veg as it seems like a responsibility I couldn't always commit to. But herbs in pots on a windowsill (by my kitchen sink) couldn't be easier. It saves on buying herbs in packets, saves on browning unused herbs in the bottom of the fridge and obviosly no carbon footprints...bingo!"

By: Lucy :: 3 years ago

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"@ My Green Cleaner: It's not always just the luxury items that have completely unnecessary packaging. Think about toothpaste, why is it sold in boxes? Ok lining up individual toothapastes on a shop shelf could prove tricky but imagine for example an egg box type tray (made of recycled paper) that could line up 32 tubes. Much better for the environment than individual sparkley plasticoasted boxes. how can we go about making change? any ideas??"

By: Lucy :: 3 years ago

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"Lucy - a tip: if you keep onions, and one goes soft on you, simply plant it in a pot on the windowsill. It will rapidly grow a constant supply of fresh young shoots; pick them off individually when large enough - just like spring onions they be, only fresher and more succulent. If you are disciplined, you can keep that one onion growing for months that way (if you feed it a bit maybe, with coffee grounds or something).

If you are not disciplined, wait for a a few more to go soft and add them to your collection.

Eventually the time comes (in spring) when they get tired of losing leaves, and 'bolt' (send up a large flower stalk). At this point, plant in any little bit of soil outside, and wait for the flower to form - it makes a stunning florist-quality cut flower, which can be dried. You can sow the seeds as well, which form even in a vase.

Recycle the old plant through a compost heap somewhere, and wait for the next soft onion."

By: Brian Balloo :: 3 years ago

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"Tip on windowbox plant growing: have a window trough (on a tray), even if you have potted plants inside of that.

A trough is so much more stable than a pot, looks better (& can be decorated), is easily made from most anything, does not dry out so fast, gives roots more room, allows for denser planting (try tall/medium/short herbs close together), makes an attractive aromatic 'green screen', oxygenates the air (during the day), removes carbon dioxide (at night), regulates air humidity, saves water, can be a seed and cuttings propagator (even when other plants are growing in it) is great fun for children (it's a garden), can grow cherry tomatoes hanging over the side, and .........add your own pre-cycling benefits to this list :)"

By: Brian Balloo :: 3 years ago

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"Brian Baloo You are a true inspiration!! The commitment of time, energy and space has always held me back from growing my on veg garden but popping stuff in pots and seeing if it grows (& no fuss or wasted time if it doesn't) sounds right up my greenstreet! plus I can always take the pots with me if I move. Also this is the kind of gardening kids love!
This weekend I'm starting my herb window box and maybe sometime on the near future I can venture out into the world of Onion and Potatoes Pots (I understand potatoes are possible from sprouted potatoes??) ......So much for not growing my own veg!"

By: Lucy :: 3 years ago

Vote: +2

"Lucy, what a joy! Welcome to the joy of Spring :) I could talk endlessly about the joys of being out there growing - but you'll experience them for yourself. Glance over your shoulder occasionally and watch this space, and I'll give you tips along the way which will save you the heartaches of much effort for little return.

Please excuse the horrible pun, which I could not resist - but seriously, and as a fundamental pre-cycling concept, when growing - do not ever take on more than you can chew :(

I'm sure you see what I really mean: you can get enormous and satisfying results from doing a little bit of growing well rather than a bit too much which gets out of your control. Nature and the realities of life have a way of finding us out, in relation to living things.

To begin with, then, have a little peep at YouTubes on the subject of 'square foot gardening'.

As always, I'm open to questions on the subject I'm most passionate about - growing.

I'm going to say something fundamental about pre-cycling soon, but I'll stick to this little practical beginning for you for the moment. Consider me to be at your service.

Enjoy...."

By: Brian Balloo :: 3 years ago

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"If you enjoy take out food occasionaly like I do...only take out from the restaurants whose packaging is all recyclable...and straws are made of paper!"

By: life could be better :: 3 years ago

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"Lucy asked about growing potatoes in pots. Definitely.

Better still, grow in any way in which you can increase the height of the container the potato is growing in as it gets taller. Many people use car tyres for this, but be creative - you could use old bricks, for example. Another way is to plant into a rolled-down strong bag, and roll the sides up again as the potato grows and you fill with compost/soil. Potatoes send out new roots from the stem. New potatoes form along each root, so the more stem you can earth up the more potatoes you will get in the same vertical space. If you think out how to design your container, you can harvest potatoes individually from the bottom as they become ready, without interfering with the growth of the rest of the plant.

All of this is on the fringes of the pre-cycling concept - although it depends on how you look at it as to how true this is. I won't abuse the theme of this forum though by adding in my own specialist input.

Maybe there is a case for another forum for how to make use of nature to avoid waste - now, that would be interesting.

As a kind of introductory 'last word', have a look a this Youtube about vegetable growing in small spaces. If you put 'vegetable growing youtube' or something similar in a search engine, you will find many more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7h-HhjzuP4&feature=PlayList&p=9D541A14E3A8B0DD&index=0"

By: Brian Balloo :: 3 years ago